Doit Tolgoi ruins
Part of the Orxon Valley Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site. Situated in Arxangai aimag, Xotont sum, 40 km north of Xarxorin.
The remains of the palace at Doit Hill are located between the Shorvog, Xunt, Doit, and Cagaan lakes. Cut granite stones can be seen as the remains of the four corners of the main building; in addition, there can be seen several stones with holes in their centres, which served as the foundations for building columns. The largest building has dimensions of 45 x 60 metres; to its southwest are the traces of a 15 x 15 m building with granite column foundations in each of its four corners. There is also a square of equal size to the northeast of the main building. The construction is unusual insofar as it is surrounded to the north, east and west by other buildings, rather than by a protective wall. There is evidence of 17 former buildings surrounding the three main constructions at the centre of the ruin; on average they measure 20 x 15 m in size and are situated quite close together, such that from a distance they look like a continuous wall. Some scholars believe that these remains are likely the ruins of Gegeenchagan Palace, occupied by Ögedei Xaan.[1] The former presence of a palace in the centre of the ruin is suggested by the landscape, location and structure of the buildings; in addition, these remains are similar to those of other palaces dating from the same period.[2] Moreover, the location of the ruin conforms with historical sources. In the Taizu section of the Yuan Dynasty Annals, it is stated that "Ögedei went hunting at Ceceg Cagaan Lake in the summer of the red rooster year, in the 9th year [of his reign]. In the fourth month of summer he established a fixed settlement and had the Gege-chagan palace constructed", which is described as being approximately 70 li (40 km) to the south of Karakorum. In addition, according to Rashid Ad-din, Ögedei Xaan hired muslim builders to construct a palace a day's journey from Karakorum, and that every spring he hunted in the vicinity of Gegeen Chagan palace: He ordered the Muslim [craftsmen] to build a pavilion a day's journey from Karakorum, in a pace where were in ancient days the falconers of Afr¬asiyab and which is called Gegen-Chagan. He would be in this place in the spring, because he used to fly hawks there.[3] The eminent Mongolian scholar X. Perlee examined these ruins and concluded that they date from the 13th or 14th century.[4] The ruins were further examined by a UNESCO-sponsored Japanese-Mongolian expedition in 1996.[5]
Notes
- ↑
- ↑ Д. Цэвээндорж, Д. Баяр, Б. Энхбат, Б. Цогтбаатар. Хар Хорум төслийн 1996 оны хээрийн шинжилгааний тайлан. 1996, ТХГБС.
- ↑ Рашид-ад-Дин. Сборник Летописей. I.I, кн I-II, I.II-III. М-Л, 1946-1952.
- ↑ Х. Пэрлээ. Монгол ард улсын эрт дундад үеийн хот суурингийн товчоон. УБ, 1961.
- ↑ Shimpei Kato. Activities report 95-96. "Protection and conservation of the ancient ruins of Kharakhorum city, Mongolia". The Ancient City of Kharakhorum. UNESCO. 1997.
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